Shopping Discussion

Canada Computers Unionville Sold Open Box Drive as New!!

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  • Feb 6th, 2016 9:14 am
Sr. Member
Apr 6, 2008
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Toronto

Canada Computers Unionville Sold Open Box Drive as New!!

Have you guys had an experience like this? On Saturday Jan 23rd, I bought a pair of 3TB WD Red at Canada Computers Unionville. For those of you that visit Canada Computers, you know they store their drives inside glass display cases behind the cashiers counter. The sales rep was acting kind of strange by holding onto the drives and never putting them down on the counter but handing it directly to the cashier. Anyway, I get it home and when I go to put it into a NAS enclosure for my client, I notice that the seal is broken and it has a sticker that says Open Box ___% off. What makes it really sketchy is that the sales rep did not mention at all that it was an open box drive. I spin it up and it turns out it has 290 Power On Hours according to the SMART report. Isn't that basically selling a returned product as new? Have you guys seen anything like this before?

I spent $800+ on storage that day, but it's this kind of sketchy behavior that makes me never want to go back to Canada Computers again. Is it really worth doing business this way? What do you guys think?
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Dec 3, 2010
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Last I recall, all of the open box stuff is held in the glass counters where as the hard drives are behind them.

Could it be that he was tired after having a long day or too new that lead him be confused/overwhelmed to make that mistake?
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Apr 6, 2008
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Toronto
That's a great point but I clearly remember him going to the wall for it. I went in for two 3TB WD Red, a 1TB WD Blue and a 500GB Samsung Evo SSD as well. The Evo was located in the front counter, above its price tag, and it was in fact also open box, and he offered me 5% off which I accepted, since it was their last remaining drive and I had other appointments to attend. He then went to the shelves on the wall to retrieve the 3 HDDs. I thought through different ways to give him the benefit of the doubt, but the fact that he actually offered me a discount on a non-stickered open-box SSD with the seal clearly broken, yet did not make any mention of the stickered open-box HDD is very perplexing. I have had many positive experiences with Canada Computers, NCIX, Newegg, Amazon - and honestly I wish this incident never happened because I would like to keep shopping at Canada Computers in the future - but this is kind of like finding a hair attached to a roach in your green salad.
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Apr 16, 2001
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3ajs wrote: I spin it up and it turns out it has 290 Power On Hours according to the SMART report. Isn't that basically selling a returned product as new?
You should run some data recovery software on it and see what turns up. If they sold a used HDD without secure wiping it first, someone's job could be on the line.
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Apr 6, 2008
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JAC wrote: You should run some data recovery software on it and see what turns up. If they sold a used HDD without secure wiping it first, someone's job could be on the line.
That's a good suggestion, never thought of it that way but I will now have to check it out. Something about this whole situation just makes me uneasy about doing business with them.
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Nov 25, 2004
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take it back and request that they either discount it being that it was open box or swap it for a brand new sealed one
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Apr 6, 2008
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aaron158 wrote: take it back and request that they other discount it being that it was open box or swap it for a brand new sealed one

Great idea I'll give it a try
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Aug 3, 2014
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3ajs wrote: Great idea I'll give it a try
Great idea? That's the first thing that you should have done instead of posting on the internet...
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Apr 6, 2008
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hvwozq wrote: Great idea? That's the first thing that you should have done instead of posting on the internet...
Have you ever tried dealing with Canada Computers on any issue that involves getting some or all of your money back? What was your experience like? I've read and experienced my fair share of headaches in these instances. So to me it is only an idea, until I can report back whether or not I was able to turn the idea into reality.
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May 5, 2015
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doesn't all HD have a unique serial on the packaging and HD itself....... it should also be noted on the sales receipt. Just in case someone tries to trade in a defective unit they have from home.
OP you really shouldn't have any problem returning it. Unless they had pulled something really shady a which point you would never want to do business with them again
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Aug 2, 2010
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Store clerks don't get paid much. The guy probably just made a mistake. Don't condemn the entire business because of one employee. If you are a business owner you will realize that employees don't always follow their training. Sheesh.
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Jan 5, 2003
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Anything behind the counter is taken to the cashier by staff directly. Nothing unusual there.

How obvious was the open box sticker? I guess not that obvious if you and the cashier didn't notice it. If someone stored the open box drive with the new drives, and the open box sticker wasn't obvious, it could be that the clerk didn't realize it was an open box, and it really is the fault with whoever put the open box item with the new ones (if they are supposed to be stored in different spots--I've never bought an open box drive). It's still the store's fault overall, but it's not like that particular clerk meant to deceive you.

Anyway, pretty sure the cashier would have scanned in the serial number, so (as others have mentioned) returning with the receipt showing you didn't get a open box discount and asking for a discount or a new one shouldn't be a problem.

Whenever I get a "behind the counter" item, I always inspect it for unbroken seals, that it was what I requested (they might have stored it on the wrong peg/shelf) before the clerk walks it over to the cashier.
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Aug 23, 2004
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3ajs wrote: Have you ever tried dealing with Canada Computers on any issue that involves getting some or all of your money back? What was your experience like? I've read and experienced my fair share of headaches in these instances. So to me it is only an idea, until I can report back whether or not I was able to turn the idea into reality.
I have return stuff before and no problem getting my money back (London Store). Just make sure that hard drives has no restocking fee and within the return time frame http://www.canadacomputers.com/return_and_exchange.php Looks like no restocking fee and exchange or refund within 14 days for hard drives.
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Mar 8, 2002
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apvm wrote: I have return stuff before and no problem getting my money back (London Store). Just make sure that hard drives has no restocking fee and within the return time frame http://www.canadacomputers.com/return_and_exchange.php Looks like no restocking fee and exchange or refund within 14 days for hard drives.
That's what the original owner of the drive did :razz:
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Jun 30, 2006
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You should have checked the box there.
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JAC wrote: You should run some data recovery software on it and see what turns up. If they sold a used HDD without secure wiping it first, someone's job could be on the line.
brilliant exposition comrade
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I live in BC unlike most of you guys. So one day i saw a great deal in printer at their website. So i ordered and payed shipping fee. I call the following day to ask how is the status of my order, the guy said that the printer is a refurbished and one stock remaining in their warehouse which was reserved for me. I immediately cancelled my order. That is deceptive marketing. Why it is not in the description in the website.

Good luck.

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